The deadline to enter is 05/31/2013 at http://www.freebeautyevents.com/contest. All you have to do to enter is provide your name, email, and zip code. The winners are chosen on 06/02/2013 and will be notified on 06/15/2013. There is also a smaller contest every week that they do on their blog.

Their site lists the very best beauty events at local drugstores and beauty retailers which you can search for by your zip code. You can even read their reviews about top beauty products. Make sure you check them out on their social media pages to stay updated on their contests and on free beauty events.

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Of course, I just had to try everything and to my surprise every single product in their cosmetics line left my skin looking and feeling great with absolutely no irritation. Take note, makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts, I have been using this line in all of my photography and film projects for the last couple months and my clients are raving.

Charisma Tint

This stuff is absolutely amazing. One thing my clients constantly compliment on about my work is my ability to contour the face. They always give me funny looks as I put super dark and light stripes across their skin face, but are completely wowed when everything is blended in. Normally I grab a highlighter/bronzer duo out of my kit and just go at it, but now I’m addicted to this bronzing tint.

It blends into the skin flawlessly and it’s the perfect bronze tint for any skin tone. You can even use it all over to add a subtle glow to your face.  It has a very lightweight texture and feels super smooth on the face. The thing I like best about this product is that it is very natural looking and you barely have to use any for it to give you great shading.

Feel Younger Tint

The Feel Younger Tint is the perfect highlighting compliment to the Charisma Tint. Every one of my clients have said how impressed they are with how this product reflects light without making your skin look shiny or oily. Use a little bit on your nose, cheeks, chin, and forehead and your skin will absolutely glow. You can also use Feel Younger all over as a primer before applying other products.

Translucent Powder

Lush’s translucent powder has a matte, shine-free finish that looks flawless. The best thing about this powder is that it doesn’t leave your skin feeling dried out after using it, but it does help eliminate excess oil and shine without taking away that dewy look. It’s very healthy for your skin and you can use it over top of other products or by itself.

Eyes Right Mascara

Mascara is the one thing I struggle with the most. I have only found a handful of mascaras out of dozens upon dozens that don’t make my eyes turn red, itch, and burn. Out of that handful, there are even fewer that make my lashes super dark, separated, and looking full. Finally, I have found a mascara that makes my lashes look amazing without the pain. Eyes Right is highly pigmented and doesn’t clump at all. It has been a long road finding a mascara that causes zero irritation and makes my lashes look amazing. Use two coats for best results.

Liner

The one thing I can’t stand about liquid liner is that they wind up looking different on every skin tone. Lush’s liners are consistent so you know that the pigment and color will be the same on every complexion. I typically use a marker, so I had to get used to using an applicator but it was very easy to put on and it lasted a super long time.

Eyeshadow

Their eyeshadows are very versatile and are great for creating both subtle, sheer looks and brighter more intense looks. Blend this shadow while it is moist if you are aiming for a more sheer look or wait for it to set and dry a bit before spreading it if you want it to be more pigmented. It has a creamy texture but it doesn’t crease like most cream shadows.

Lipstick

Lush lipsticks feel very smooth and light when you put them on. They have a liquidy texture but create a finish just like a lipstick on your lips only with a more lightweight texture. It doesn’t dry out your lips  but it still delivers highly pigmented color and lasts a really long time. My favorite thing about these lipsticks is that you can blend them together easily to create an entirely new color.

All of these products are $18.95 each. The Emotional Brilliance collection is perfect for girls who like to wear lighter colors during the day but want to amp up their color at night without having to carry tons of different products in their purse. You can purchase any of these products at Lush.com. Make sure you check out all of their tips and tricks on their social media pages.

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RENEW Lip & Eye Emulsion

I was a little surprised to find a product that could be used on my lips but was gentle enough for my sensitive eyes. When I first applied this product it had a nice little tingle that wasn’t too strong like most firming products. It had a citrusy scent and but it didn’t irritate my eyes at all. When I used it on my lips it instantly smoothed them but didn’t have a deep moisturizing effect so I would suggest using just a bit of lip balm as well. This runs $75 a bottle.

IN-SHAPE Body Lift Lotion

This product has a wonderful, fresh scent which made my skin feel smooth and firm overnight. It really helped make my skin feel more firm and the results were amazing. Like with any body-firming product you need to make sure that you follow the directions and continue use to help maintain the results. This product is  just $45 a tube.

IN-SHAPE Cellulite Away

Cellulite Away has a lotion-like texture that absorbs into your skin quickly. It has a little bit of tingle to it. It made my skin firmer and really improved the texture very quickly. Just like with the Body Lift you will need to continue use to keep that smooth texture. Cellulite Away runs $59 a tube.

You can find all of these great products and more at www.atzen.com. You can also follow them on their social media pages:

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Overnight Pore Tightener

This product looks really thick but it has a super lightweight consistency. It absorbed into my skin very quickly and didn’t have an overwhelming fragrance. It literally helped reduce the size of my pores overnight without clogging them which is surprising since my skin is super sensitive.

It does not completely eliminate the appearance of large pores if your skin is not well taken care of. You should be cleansing your skin and removing blackheads and whiteheads while using this product for optimal results. It does control the production of sebum so once your get blackheads cleared out it will help prevent them from coming back.

It is intended to help lift skin for up to 7 hours so this is a product that you will need to use repeatedly to maintain results like most products. It also left my skin feeling very moisturized so I didn’t have to use any additional moisturizers. This product runs $48 a bottle and can be purchased on www.brtcstore.com. You can also follow them on their social media pages here:

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Lavender & Bergamot Body Wash

Their body wash has a distinct texture and color that makes it look like pure honey, but it’s not sticky and is much thinner than the real stuff. It leaves your skin with a smooth, soft feeling just like honey only without the overly thick consistency. I used mine to shave my legs and it’s texture made it perfect for shaving. It has a strong bergamot fragrance which is great for girls who like scents that are more woodsy.

Honey & Lavender Soap

The bar soap lathered up really nicely and didn’t dry out my skin like other bar soaps have in the past. It has more of a moisturizing effect and left my skin smooth. It has a honey and lavender scent that was super relaxing. I would suggest using this in the shower at night before heading to bed to de-stress.

Lavender & Bergamot Hand and Body Cream

The cream had a very thin consistency and absorbed very quickly. It gave my skin a radiant glow and smelled like bergamot and lavender. It has the perfect mix of floral and woodsy notes. It helps greatly with moisturizing the skin and is a perfect choice for people who don’t like thick lotions or creams. Again, this is a great nighttime product with it’s relaxing lavender scent.

Lemon Lavender Lip Balm

It has a very strong lemon-y scent when you first apply it but the fragrance fades quickly so it isn’t overwhelming. It feels great on your lips and is very moisturizing. I would recommend applying this in the morning and throughout the day for a quick pick-me-up with it’s citrusy-scent.

Overall, this makes a wonderful set to give mom as a Mother’s Day Gift. Make sure you follow them on their social media pages for updates:

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For one thing, you will still wind up spending nearly the same amount on extensions you make yourself after buying hair, clips, a special needle, and thread and unless you are a master seamstress they won’t be nearly as durable as the real thing. Recently, I tried a set of professional hair extensions by KmXtend and they beat mine hands down.

When I consider all of the time it took me to sow the tracks to the clips it would have been way easier to just buy a set in the first place. The set I made frequently come unthreaded and are starting to shed. Mind you, I didn’t buy cheap hair so it is unfortunate that my own set is losing tons of strands considering I take excellent care of them. The clips on the KmXtend set are secure and the strands stay in place.

I’ve always been a fan of layering tracks and at the end of the day mine end up tangled and messy but the KmXtend sets have layered tracks that are sown together to give extra volume without the hassle. Some other brands do this as well but the thing I really like about the ones from KmXtend are that their layered tracks are extremely lightweight so they are comfortable to wear.

Their clips are made to quickly clip into your hair without having to prep or tease it which is another plus. The quality of the hair is amazing. It feels super soft and works very well with heat tools. They have a wide range of colors and the hair is very true to color from their website images. I picked out the platinum set and they blended into my hair flawlessly.

The sets on the site are 20″ which is super long but very manageable and they run $199 a set. They have video tutorials on their Youtube channel to assist with styling and they even offer coupons and discounts on their site at www.KmXtend.com. Make sure you also check out their social media accounts at:

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Linda recommended sock bun inserts that don’t snap closed so I decided to give it a try and purchased a generic one from Claire’s. I have to tell you I was extremely disappointed. No matter how many times I tried following the instructions exactly my hair turned into a giant mess. The sock bun insert unrolled into a long strip rather than staying put which just made all of the layers poke out and left my sock bun uneven.

Even after several not so great experiences I didn’t give up on my quest for the perfect sock bun. I decided to give the Hunny Bun a try and to my surprise it actually worked! The very first time I used it I didn’t even use a mirror and the results were a hundred times better than any other sock bun insert I had tried.

The thing I really love about the Hunny Bun is that it is great for tons of different hairstyles other than a sock bun. You can also use it to create a top knot or a messy bun. Here are some quick tips on how to create a sock bun, top knot, or messy bun with the Hunny Bun:

If you want to create the perfect sock bun simply pull your hair into a ponytail, slip the donut-shaped insert over the ponytail and pull it down to the base of your hair. Then, move the insert to the tips of your hair and begin to roll your hair underneath the Hunny Bun. If your hair goes to one side of the Hunny Bun that’s find you can easily slide it once you get to the base of your hair. Once your sock bun is all the way to the base and smoothed out secure it in place with the u-shaped pins and you are all set.

To create a top knot you will gather your hair into a ponytail on the top of your head and slide the Hunny Bun to the base of your ponytail. Next, you will wrap your ponytail sideways around the Hunny Bun and secure your top knot in place with the u-shaped pins.

Follow the same basic steps as the top knot to create the messy bun. You can place your ponytail anywhere you want the messy bun to be.  If you add a texturizing spray before pulling up your hair into a messy bun it will give it that extra messy texture and you can also pull little pieces out for a piecier look. To find other great beauty tips like these check out my bestie’s blog at the Glamourous Linda Blog.

The Hunny Bun is great for creating all of these styles and you can experiment with it to create many more. Hunny Buns are the perfect tool for prom hair! They are $9.99 each and come in three different sizes and three different colors. You can purchase your very own Hunny Bun on the Hunny Bun Website. You can also keep updated at:

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It invigorates your skin with a slight tingle which makes it much easier to get a close shave. My legs felt super smooth after use and the thing I liked best about it is that it can be used in the shower or outside of the shower with no water.

Bold for Men Shave Gel is ideal for any person who is on the go. If you have ever been in a rush and wanted to freshen up your legs or quickly shave your underarms without doing the whole shaving cream in the shower bit this is great for that.  If you aren’t a fan of a little tingle you may want to rinse it off with water after use.

As for men, this product is perfect for men with sensitive skin because it helps reduce razor burn and razor bumps. It is very moisturizing and it give you a super close shave. It can also be used as an aftershave which saves even more space in the shower. You will seriously want to ditch the shaving cream after using this product.

The packaging is black and very masculine so it makes a perfect gift for any man in your life. It is very affordable at $16 a tube especially since a little goes a long way. Bold for Men Shave Gel can be purchased at Bold For Men Make sure you visit their social media pages for updates at:

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I don’t want to give you the wrong idea by saying it has a glittery or shimmery finish as most glitter glosses have huge chunks of glitter and dry out your lips. The shimmery flecks in this lip gloss are unlike any other I have ever tried. They are super tiny so you can hardly see them on your lips, but they reflect light and make your lips look unbelievably shiny and plump.

Their lip gloss is formulated with Vitamin E and adds intense moisture to your lips instead of making them feel sticky or drying them out. They are also mineral based and paraben free. The glosses have a subtle pigment and are very true to color when compared to the images they have on their website.

The shade I tried had a light berry hue that enhanced the color of my lips for a very natural finish. Almond Cosmetic lipshines are $24 a piece and can purchased at Almond Cosmetics. You can also keep posted on new releases and news by Almond Cosmetics on their social media pages:

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Some people try to sew their own set of clip-in extensions at home but unless you are a pro they typically fall apart after a few uses and they don’t always match. That is why I think it is best to invest in a professional set of hair extensions if you are planning on wearing them. I recently tried Pro Extensions 24″ real human hair extensions in Platinum #613. Here’s what I thought:

They were very easy to apply. Unlike most sets of hair extensions, the clips are created to attach to the hair without the need for teasing your hair first which is awesome. I am very cautious about ordering things online because it always seems like I wind up with something that is not the size or color that it appears to be in pictures, but the set I picked was the perfect length, looked exactly the same color as they were advertised as, and matched my own hair perfectly.

The tracks of hair were the perfect width and blended into my hair very naturally without showing through at all. Some hair extensions shed from the track or begin to look and feel dull after a few days but these ones are super high quality and they stay lustrous even after styling. They are much more resilient and of a higher quality than sets I have sown myself in the past.

The first thing that most girls usually ask is “how much are hair extensions?”. They range in price depending on their length and type and can run $50 to $250 depending on which set you choose. If you are considering hair extensions you definitely want to consider investing in pro hair extensions rather than trying to make your own as the time and money you spend on making your own set will pretty much cost the same as purchasing pro hair extensions outright.

Pro hair extensions like my set can me purchased from Pro Extensions at www.proextensions.com Make sure you use the coupon code AMBER at checkout for 5% off your purchase. You can also check out their social media pages on:

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